Acetylene generator



Feb, 27, 1951 R, R, GEFFROY 2,543,662

ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Dec. 3, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheel l RoERT Re QU i5GEM-Roy \NvENToR= Fb. il?, WM

Filed Dec. 5, 1946 R. Ra L. GEH-ROY ACETYLENE GENERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Roer fsN LoulsaFFraqy IN VE NTO@ PvP-19V.

Patented Feb. 27, 13,951

f u. UNITED sTAT -ACETYiiizl'vn GENERATOR Robert Ren Louis Geiroy,`Neuilly-sur-Seine,

Y France, assigner to Societe: Volcan S. A., Levallois, France, a Frenchcompany Application December 3, 1946, serial No. 713,705

` In France August 1, 1946 The invention relates to acetylene generatorsproducing acetylene under pressure, in which the automatic Working isobtained by means of a back-pressure chamber containingan air cushion. Y

In the arrangements most frequently employed, said back pressure chamberis placed around or by the side of the reaction vessel, and is attachedeither to the tank or to the cover, the back-pressure air cushion beingentrapped in said back pressure chamber when the apparatus is beinglled. v This arrangement provides for a satisfactory working. However,after a certain period of use, corrosion takes place with the usualmaterials, such as ordinary or galvanized steel sheets, to such a degreeas to put the apparatus o ut of use in a few years, and to become a riskof explosions. Such corrosion is localized on the walls of theback-pressure chamber in contact with the air cushion, in the region ofthe fluctuations of the water level. As these walls are common with thereaction capacity, it is to believe that the temperature is one of themost important factors of corrosion. l

Another kind of generators is known, which Works on the same principleand in which the back-pressure chamber is formed by one or severalsubmerged bells. This disposition has the advantage of allowinganeasyinspection of the interior of the back-pressure rchamber and atthe same time of reducing corrosion, probably because the temperature ofthe water is always lower than that of the walls of the reaction vessel.Where severalbells are present, complete stoppagefof the generator dueto the leakage of one of the bells through deterioration is obviated. Inaddition, the risk of explosion is avoided, inasmuch as the water levelfalls below its normal height and allows the carbide to emerge.

However, this arrangement is such that the carbide in course ofdecomposition lies nearer to the plane on which the residuary lime isdeposited, which is a condition unfavourable to the good dilution of thelime `in the Water of decomposition, thus causing a lack of rflexibilityof the working of the apparatus; The carbide recipient has a tendency tobecome choked up much quicker than when the bottom of the vat whichreceives the residue is farther away from the plane of the reactingwater.

This drawback could be obviated by increasing the vertical distanceseparating the bottom of the carbide basket from the bottom of thereaction vessel by the height of the back-pressure 6 Claims.. (Cl.1a-22) l 2 I bells, which would lead toa prohibitive overall size.

The present invention has for its object to devise a generator combiningthe advantages of the two systems, while eliminating their drawbacks,and with this object in view, an annular backpressure chamber isprovided which is divided into several dismountable elements (cases orbells) extending vertically within the generator, preferably along itsvv'alls,` in such manner as to leave the space necessary for the carbidebasket in the centre.

Further characteristics Vof the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, referring to the annexed drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the generator along line I.-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section along lineV 2-2 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is adetail sectional view along line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Referring to thedrawing, the generator comprises a cylindrical vessel I provided at itslower part with a bottom 2 and a draining device 2a and ending at itsupper part in a conical part 3,'whose rounded edge li serves as aseating for the gasket 5 of a cover G. The latter is pivotally supportedat I by a lever 8 pivoted at 9 on a bracket I8 secured to the conicalpart 3. Lever 8 ends in a fork Ia adapted to engage a screwthreaded'rodII pivoted at I2 on a bracket I3 secured to conical part 3. Tighteningis afforded by a threaded knob I4, screwing on shaft II.

VAt a suitable distance above the bottom of tank 2 is secured, as bywelding, a conical ring I5 merging into a substantially cylindricalcollar I6 and formed with stamped out bosses II. On ring I5 rest severalboxes (three in the embodiment represented) I3, I9, 20 open at thebottom and having an external arcuate wall 2|,v an internal arcuate wall22, lateral walls 23, 24 and an upper wall 25; bosses Il are centeredbetween the walls 2|, 23, 24 of the boxes, and serve to guide andkeep'the latter in place. Two circular inwardly stamp-ed beads 265 and21 of the cylindrical vessel I are adapted to bear on the outer wall 2lof each of the boxes I9, so as to reduce friction when inserting orremoving the boxes. g

The boxes are held in place at their upper ends by a circular sleeve 30or any other suitable device such as screws, clips, etc. adapted to keepthe proper distance between the boxes. Sleeve 30 has three equallyspaced out-turned tongues 30a, which respectively rest on the upper edgeof one of said boxes.

pipe 34, which leads from the upper part of the tank to the trap box,whereby the moistened gas flows down to the bottom. Water partiallycondenses at the bottom of trap lbox33 and `is dis charged through ahole 35, provided with a "c'o'ck (not shown), while the partially driedgas -isfdischarged through a hole 36, leading to the lplace of use or toa pressure reducing valve.

A carbide basket 31 is vertically movable within a pit 28, formed by thewalls 22 of the boxes;

it rests on a lifting arm 38, secured to a shaft 39 which extends in awater-tight m'annerthrough the wall of the tank, and carries at itsouter `end a control lever-Ml.

The operation is as follows:

The tank being Viilled with water up to level XX, for example,.and thebasketbeing filled with carbide, lowering of lever 38 submerges thecarbide to the desired depth. The pressure "of the gas which isgenerated forces the water from the tank through the holes 32 into theback-pressure boxes I8, I9., 2i), where an air cushion is entrapped. Theair acts as a pressure regulator, as is well known. The gas is freedfrom a part o f its moisture in trap box 33 'and escapes through hole36.

The boxes I8, I9, 20, can vbe easily dismounted by removing sleeve 30 orthe like, tilting theminwardly and talkingv them out y'at the top. lThe,boxes can thus be cleaned and replaced in case In case of thedeterioration of one of the boxes I 8, I9, 20, the others will continueto operate, and there will only `result va lowering of the level of thewater in the tank, thus eliminating all risk of explosion.

It will be noted that the holes 32, through which water iiows in-and out:following the Huctuations of the pressure, are in such a position thatthe risk of obstruction by the lime is greatly reduced. In addition,ring I5 drives towards the center of the tank the gas bubbles which maybe formed. by the fall of grains of carbide into the liquid, and therebyprevents acetylene from entering boxes I8, I9, 20.

It will -be understood that this invention is not limited to thespecific embodiment above described, which has been given only by way ofexample.

Thus the central pit l28, instead of being cylindrical and of uniformdiameter, can be cylindrical only in its upper part, which lserves toguide the carbide basketv with :a suitable clearance; in the region ofcontact between carbide and water, the surface-of water indirect contactwith the carbide can be .increased by giving to pit V28 a greaterdiameter, the shape being either cylindrical or frusto-conical.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An acetylene generator comprising. a tank adapted to contain water,and having an opening in its top, a removable cover for said tank, avertically movable carbide basket in said tank aligned with said openingso as to be removable therethrough when said cover is removed, at leastone counter-pressure box sealed at its upper end to contain a pressureregulating air cushion and having at least one oriiice adjacent 'itslower end opening into said tank below the lowest wate'r level, asupport member on which the lower end of said box rests, said supportmember being attached to the inner surface of the tank and-spaced`.fromfthe 'tank bottom, said member and saidbox havinglconformingsurfaces adapted to restrainth'e box against lateral displacement,

and -means for holding the upper end of the box against lateraldisplacement into the path of said basket, said holding means beingaccessible for removal only when said cover is removed, so that saidcover, said box and said basket are separately removable from said tank.

v2. AnE acetylene generator comprising fa tank adapted to contain water,and having an `opening in its top, a removable cover for said tank, avertically movable carbide basket in said tank, a plurality of annnlarlyspaced counter-pressure boxes, each sealedv at its upper end to contain`a pressure regulating air cushion land lhaving at least one oriceadjacent its lower end vopening into said tank below the lowest waterlevel, said tankhaving an internal support ring on which said boxes restwith their lower ends spaced from the tank bottom, said ring having vitscentral opening aligned with said basket, said boxes being eil'ective toguide said basket during its vertical movement, and removable means forholding vthe upper ends of the boxes against lateral displacement intothe path Vof said basket, said cover, said boxes and said Abasket beingindependentlyr and individually*removable-from said tank so that -saidbasket is removable through said top opening when said cover .-isremoved without moving said boxes.

3. An acetylene generator, comprising a tank adapted to contain Water,an annulus attached at its outer edge to the inner surface of said tankand extending A-inwardly and upwardly so as to deflect toward the middleof the tank any gas bubblesforming below the -annu1us, a plurality ofindividually removable counter-pressure boxes open at their lower endsand resting on said annulus, said annulus andfsaid boxes havingconforming surfaces-adapted to restrain said boxes against lateraldisplacement, removablermeans forholding the upper ends ofthe yboxesagainst lateral displacement, and a vertically movable carbide Abasketin said tank, said basket being aligned with the central opening in theannulus and being guided in its vertical movements by the inner4sur-faces of said boxes.

4. An acetylene generator, comprising a tank adapted to contain water,an annulus attached atitslouter edge vto the inner surface of said tankand extending inwardly and upwardly so as to deflectv toward the middleof the tank any gas bubble rforming below the annulus, a plurality ofindividually removable counter-pressure boxes openat vtheir lowerendsand resting on said annulus, so that said lower endsare closedthereby, said annulus and said .boxes .having conforming surfacesadapted to restrain said boxes against lateral displacement. said .boxeshavingopenings in their vertical walls adjacentsaidannulus, saidopenings 'beingy protected `from .bubbles by said annulus and 'being.incapable of ,receiving any vertically moving bubble, removable meansfor holding the upper ends of the boxes against lateral displacement,and a vertically movable carbide basket in said tank, said basket beingaligned With the central opening in the annulus and being guided in itsvertical movements by the inner surfaces of said boxes.

5. An acetylene generator, comprising a tank adapted to contain water,an annulus attached at its outer edge to the inner surface of said tankand extending inwardly and upwardly so as to deflect toward the middleof the tank any gas bubble forming below the annulus, a plurality ofcounter-pressure boxes open at their lower ends and resting on saidannulus, said annulus having upwardly projecting bosses formed thereinto engage and position the sides of the said boxes, removable means forholding the upper ends of the boxes against lateral displacement, and avertically movable carbide basket in said tank, said basket beingaligned with the central opening in the annulus and being guided in itsvertical movements by the inner surfaces of said boxes.

6. An acetylene generator, comprising a tank adapted to contain water,an annulus attached at its outer edge to the inner surface of said tankand extending inwardly and upwardly so as to deflect toward the middleof the tank any gas bubble forming below the annulus, a plurality ofcounter-pressure boxes open at their lower ends and resting on saidannulus so that said lower ends are closed thereby, said annulus havingupwardly projecting bosses formed therein to engage and position thesides of said boxes, said boxes having openings in their vertical wallsadjacent said annulus, said openings being protected from bubbles bysaid annulus and being incapable of receiving any vertically movingbubble, removable means for holding the upper ends of the boxes againstlateral displacement, and a vertically movable carbide basket in saidtank, said basket being aligned with the central opening in the annulusand being guided in its vertical movement by the inner surfaces of saidboxes.

ROBERT REN LOUIS GEFFROY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. AN ACETYLENE GENERATOR COMPRISING A TANK ADAPTED TO CONTAIN WATER,AND HAVING AN OPENING IN ITS TOP, A REMOVABLE COVER FOR SAID TANK, AVERTICALLY MOVABLE CARBIDE BASKET IN SAID TANK ALIGNED WITH SAID OPENINGSO AS TO BE REMOVABLE THERETHROUGH WHEN SAID COVER IS REMOVED, AT LEASTONE COUNTER-PRESSURE BOX SEALED AT ITS UPPER END TO CONTAIN A PRESSUREREGULATING AIR CUSHION AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE ORIFICE ADJACENT ITSLOWER END OPENING INTO SAID TANK BELOW THE LOWEST WATER LEVEL, A SUPPORTMEMBER ON WHICH THE LOWER END OF SAID BOX RESTS, SAID SUPPORT MEMBERBEING ATTACHED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF THE TANK AND SPACED FROM THE TANKBOTTOM, SAID MEMBER AND SAID BOX HAVING CONFORMING SURFACES ADAPTED TORESTRAIN THE BOX AGAINST LATERAL DISPLACEMENT, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING THEUPPER END OF THE BOX AGAINST LATERAL DISPLACEMENT INTO THE PATH OF SAIDBASKET, SAID HOLDING MEANS BEING ACCESSIBLE FOR REMOVAL ONLY WHEN SAIDCOVER IS REMOVED, SO THAT